Perfect Satellite Spacing

[Ens Gijs]

Ever want to deploy perfectly spaced satellites?

Use this spreadsheet and do just that.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10ba8mrHmFVnjWnCaoyTgPB3pY1S4ab8ydDKO8q36sD4

Instructions are in the sheet - but in a nutshell, here's how

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Enjoy! And please let me know if you find this tool helpful!

-Ens

[Alshain]

I'm not sure your method is the easiest way. It works, I've done it that way, but only for small satellites that can be run in the same launch. Bigger ones won't work. Also, it will make it hard to launch if not all your satellites are the same. In synchronous orbit, only the satellite opposite KSC needs all the dishes (you can park a rover with dishes right next to the tracking station for when that satellite is obstructed), the rest just have to be relays around the planet, (with 4 sats, the 3 others can just be communotron 32s and nothing else). Launching all 3 or 4 without being identical may be a balance issue on a single rocket.

The way I do it is first I set up my desired network in this planner tool here. It tells you the distance between each satellite once that is done. KSP will tell you the distance between two craft and also will tell show you the intersect points on a maneuver node. It's just like finding a rendezvous, but instead of getting your target distance as close to 0 as you can, get your target distance at the distance the tool web tells you to. This doesn't require a single launch and is pretty easy for anyone who knows how to use the maneuver node editor to rendezvous already. Once you get your distance close enough, you just match your orbital periods and you are done.

I hope I haven't squashed your creativity, the spreadsheet does seem to do what it says it will and it is very nicely done.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Alshain

[Ens Gijs]

Thanks for the link to the other planning tool - I did look for tools before I made mine, but this one didn't come up. It's definitely superior to my spreadsheet in many ways - but I have to admit if I hadn't created my sheet I'm not sure I would have recognized the "Multiple Launch View" as being its equivalent (did you notice this?), heck I still had to run numbers through both tools to confirm that the output was the same.

I see one thing missing from the web tool that I had planned for my sheet - the missing information that I would like to see is how many degrees of "latitude" of ground coverage are provided by the arrangement.

One last redemption note for my spreadsheet is the ability to compute the orbital parameters based on your objective - one of

* Minimal Altitude

* Targeted Altitude (only one provided by web tool)

* Targeted Orbital Period

Anyway, thanks for sharing!

[Moonk]

Sry for noob question. But why do u do this? Is this mod? what the purpose of positioning satellites?

[ExplorerKlatt]

It is for the mod RemoteTech. The mod requires all unmanned craft to have a radio connection to the KSC to operate.

Link here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/83305-1-0-4-RemoteTech-v1-6-7-2015-06-25

[GoSlash27]

I have played with satellite spacing for fun 'n' profit, and this is how I did it. Of course, not using this particular tool, but same method.

We're all going to have to learn how to do this with the next update.

Best,

-Slashy

[Ens Gijs]

We're all going to have to learn how to do this with the next update.

Maybe some will have to learn it (version 1.1). Apparently on "easy" you wont have to care and even on "hard" it's not going to be nearly as demanding as remote tech... but if you're gonna do it you might as well make it look awesome

[GoSlash27]

Maybe some will have to learn it (version 1.1). Apparently on "easy" you wont have to care and even on "hard" it's not going to be nearly as demanding as remote tech... but if you're gonna do it you might as well make it look awesome

I'm gonna have mine set up so that not only are they perfectly-spaced, but also pass over KSC at the same times every day down to the second so that I can periodically measure and correct drift.

Best,

-Slashy